What are the books you recommend startup founders read?
Greatly appreciate a little Cliffs Notes, why that book that you love?
My $.025
- Start with Why – Simon Sinek
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Peter Drucker
- Zero to One – Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
- Venture Deals – Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson
- Mindset – Carol Dweck
- Traction – Gino Wickman
- Rocket Fuel – Wickman with Mark C. Winters
And I put together some thoughts for perspective, on my LinkedIn newsletter, Startup Studio
Welcome to the community Joe.
Need for an intro is a myth. I write a lot about connecting with VCs over on my personal site, here’s one place to start that might help: https://seobrien.com/secret-to-funding-customers-needed-before-contacting-vcs
And a more recent methodology we teach in our incubators, the flywheel: https://mediatech.ventures/raising-capital-the-process-is-a-flywheel/
The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
I like Art of the Start 2.0 by Guy Kawasaki. I like it because Guy was one of the earliest Apple employees and has advised startups throughout the years. He said this is basically his brain dump on building companies. I do feel it’s a little marketing-focused, but it has a lot of good nuggets in it.
Hard to argue that more Marketing focus isn’t the right answer for most startups
Hard Things about Hard Things, Founder’s Dilemma, Lean Startup, Play Bigger, Reboot, Start with Why, Zero to One
Top Three:
Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
Story Brand by Donald Miller
How To win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
I had your first three. But having difficulty getting the introduction the VC say I must h ave to get in front of them or for them.